(B).
250
THE CHINESE SEAMEN'S STRIKE.
PRELIMINARY REPORT OF SHIPOWNERS' COMMITTEE,
Following is a copy of the Report made to H.E. the Governor by Mr. R. Suther, land, Chairman of the Committee which conducted the Strike negotiations on be-- half of the Shipowners:
COM-
Hongkong, 14th March, 1922. YOUR EXCELLENCY,-1 have now the honour to submit a Preliminary Report on kho settlement arrived at with the Dale- gates of the Seamen's Union in connec tion with the recent strike. A remane of the Government negotiations was tained in the Guzetfe of the 11th instant and the object of this communication is to set forth the settlement from the Ship- owners' point of view in conjunction with the Government communique just referred to. A full and detailed report of the Shipowners' negotiations will be sub-| mitted to you as soon as possible, but I consider the subject matter contained in this Preliminary Statement will be of general interest.
Certain points in the Shipowners' nego tiation, apart from the question of wages were touched upon in the official Gazette And it now remains to submit to you the signed proliminary Agrement referred to in the Government record of proceedings. The document which is attached reads na follows:-
It is hereby agreed between the under signed parties that the following are the terms of settlement on the matters
in dispute between them:
1. The scale of wages paid at Hong- kong and in force on 12th day of Janu- ary, 1922, shall be increased as follows and shall apply as from the 1st January, 1829.
Per Cent. 1-Chinese River Steamers 30 2.-Other Chinese Steamers up to 1,000 tona dead- weight 3.-Hongkong,
30
Canton and Macao Steamboat Co., Ltd. 20 4.-Other British Companies' River stoomers taking the scale of the Hongkong, Canton and Macao Steam- boat S.B. Co., Ltd. as a bazis
90
5.- Coasting Steamers
0
8-Java Lines
15
7.-Pacific Lines ......
15
8-European Lines
15
0.-Australian Lines
15
I
-A date will be fixed for the gen eral return to work. From the time of leaving until such date, men will receiva half pay according to the new scale, Men may be reinstated on any of their own Company's vessels or such vessels as may be mutually greed upon. If positions aro not available for men ready to return to work as above, it is agreed that half pay shall continue for such period as the men are not employed, but not exceeding five and a hall (54) months from the date of the genera return to work. This half pay will be administered from a Fund under the control of a duly appointed Administra for
3. The Owners agree to assist in in- augurating a system of engaging orews which will minimise as far as possible any irregularities which may exist in connection with the pay of seamen.
Signed at Hongkong this fifth day of March, one thousand, nine hundred and twenty-one.
(Signed) R. SUTERRLAND,
Chairman, Shipowners'
Committee.
J. W. JAMIESON,
H.B.M. Consul-Conera?
at Canton.
CRAX HON K2,
(Chinese Chop}
LO TSEN MAN,
(Chinese Chop.)
LUK KING Fo,
Secretary to Commissioner for Foreign Affairs,
Canton,
The Agreement as above was arrived at after some two months of negotiation, To hose not intimately connected with the subject it will require explanatory re- marks, I would therefore beg leave to 'comment as follows:-
Clause 1.-This sets forth the scale of wages agreed. For your information I would say that in order to give the exact affect of the strike as affecting shipping- I requested Mosers. Lowe, Bingham & Matthews to draw up a statement on the settlement made, and I attach same hereto The figures submitted were arriv ed at by the Chartered Accountants from data obtained directly from the Steam- ship Companies concerned, and in my opinion represent as accurately as possible the margin of compromise between Own- ers and Seamen's Representatives.
It will be noted that while generous concessions have been made in respect of Chinese-owned steamers, the Seamen's Delegates have met the position very as regards other lines. The pro